Floor clean-up mechanism for a continuous miner



Aug' 28, 1956 A. l.. BARRETT 2,760,767

FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FR A CONTINUOUS MINER Filed June 17, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet l @y MW Aug. 28, 1956 A. l.. BARRETT FLOOR CLEAN-UPMECHANISM FOR A CONTINUOUS MINER Filed June 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Eig.

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ing head mechanism of a continuous miner.

Unite States Patent() FLOR CLEAN-Ul) MECHANISM FOR A CONTINUOUS MINERArthur Lee Barrett, Franklin, Pa., assignor 'to `loy ManufacturingCompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation-f Pennsylvania Application .lune17, 1952, Serial No. 293,999

Claims. (Cl.4 2'62-26) This invention relates to continuous miningapparatus and more particularly to an improved floor clean-upmechanismassociated with the disintegrating` head mechanism of acontinuous miner for cleaning vup any loose material which has fallen tothe mine floor during the disintegrating operation.

In a known type of continuous mining apparatus similar to that disclosedin the Russell and Sibley applications, Serial Numbers 102,995 and102,996, both ledon July 5, 1949, both owned by the assignee of the'present-invention, a disintegrating head mechanism is mounted forrectilinear movement and for pivotal movement in verti` cal planes on amobile base which travels over the floor of a mine, and the headmechanism comprises disintegrating elements movable in parallel verticalorbits for tearing out mineral such as coal from a solid mine vein. Thehead mechanism is swingable downwardly about its pivot to bring itsouter tip end to the floor level and when so positioned the headmechanism is movable rectilinearly forwardly relative to the base tosump the outer portion of the head mechanism into the solid coal.pletion of the sumping operation the head mechanism is swung upwardly inverticalplanes about its pivot to cause the disintegrating elementsthereof to dislodge and disintegrate the solid coal, and when the tipend of the head mechanism reaches the roof level the head mechanism isretracted rectilinearly to withdraw its outer portion from the minevein. During the dislodging and disintegrating operation some of thedistintegrated materialfalls to the mine door and it is desirable toclean up such loose materialbefore the mobile base is advanced to locatethe head mechanism in a new operating position.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved oorclean-up mechanism for a continuous mining apparatus. Another object isto provide an improved floor clean-up mechanism associated with thedisintegrat- A further object is to provide an improved floor clean-upmechanism which includes the conveyor of the head mechanism and whereinthe conveyor is so constructed and arranged Y that when the headmechanism is lowered the bottom run of the conveyor engages the loosematerial on the mine floor and moves the same forwardly into the zone ofaetion of the orbitally moving disintegrating elements of the headmechanism. Other objects and advantages of the invention will, however,hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice. l

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a disintegrating head mechanism ofa continuous miner with which the improved iioor-clean-up mechanism isassociated.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the head mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical-section taken on line 3 3 ofFig. 2.

Upon coml upper portion of the supporting means.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The disintegrating head mechanism with which the present invention isassociated is generally designated '1 and is mounted on a supportingmeans 2, the latter being desirably in the form of a frame mounted forrectilinear movement on a mobile base in a manner similar to thatdisclosed in the copending applications, Serial Nos. 102,995 and102,996, above referred to. Evidently, the head mechanism may be mountedin various other manners.

The disintegrating head mechanism may be similar to that disclosed inthe Sibley application, Serial No. 267,717 filed January 23, 1952, nowPatent No. 2,751,204, granted June 19, 1956, owned by the assignee ofthe present invention, and comprises a frame or bar structure 3pivotally mounted at 4 on the supporting meansf2 to swing in verticalplanes, and the bar structure comprises parallel vertical side barportions 5 rigidly connected in parallel spaced relation by transverseframe portions 6 rigidly secured to the inner sides of the vertical sidebar portions. The side bar portions have rear bearing engaging portions7 (Fig. 2) which are pivotally supported by lateral bearing members orhollow trunnions S provided by the supporting means 2, and a rotatablecross shaft 9, coaxial'with the head frame pivot, is journaled inbearings 10 supported within the bearing members 8, as shown in Fig. 2.This cross shaft may be driven in a manner similar to that fullydisclosed in the copending Russell and Sibley applications abovereferred to. The parallel side bar portions S have suitable guideways11' extending about their margins and guided for orbital circulation inthese guideways are endless disintegrating chains 12 comprising chainblocks 13 pivotally connected together by strap links 14. The chainblocks have sockets for receiving the Shanks of detachabledisintegrating elements or bits 15 which are held in the block socketsby conventional set screws 16. Keyed to the cross shaft 9 are chainsprockets 17 which engage and drive the endless side disintegratingchains 12.

The means for swingingA the head mechanism in ver-v tical planes aboutits pivot may assume various conventional forms and herein, forillustrative purposes, may be similar -to that disclosed in thecopending application to John D. Russell, Serial No. 215,431, filedMarch 14, 1951, now Patent No. 2,751,208, granted June 19, 1956, ownedby the assignee of the present invention, and comprises upright iluidcylinders 20 rigidly secured to the outer sides of the side bars S ofthe head frame and containing pistons (not shown) connected bydownwardly extending piston rods or connecting links 21, at 22, to leverarms 23,`the latter in turn being pivotally connected at their forwardends at 24to the sides of the head frame. The lever arms arealsoconnected at their rear ends at 25 to flexible chain sections 26 whichlie about curved surfaces 27 on the supporting meansr 2, these chainsectionsbeing suitably fastened at Z'S'to the When liquid under pressureis supplied to the upper ends of the cylinders 20, the lat-ter moveupwardly relative to the piston, causing swinging of the lever arms, andresulting in upward swing of the disintcgrating head mechanism. Whenliquid is trapped in the cylinders, the head mechanism may be rigidlyheld in adjusted position, and when liquid is vented from the cylindersthe head mechanism may swing downwardly about its pivot. Since thisswing mechanism is well known, further detail description thereof isherein unnecessary.

An endless Hight conveyor, generally design'atedtl, is guided fororbital circulation along suitable guideways provided by the head frameand is arranged longitudinally intermediate vthe parallel side barportions and this conveyor comprises parallel endless side chains 31which pass around and are driven by chain sprockets 32 (Fig. 2) securedto the cross shaft 9. Connected between the side conveyor chains arecross flights 33 which are adapted to move the disintegrated mineralalong a bottom plate 34 extending between and secured to the verticalside bars. This bottom plate has a forwardly and downwardly inclinedforward portion 34a extending to the bottom of the front portion of thehead frame, as shown in Fig. 3. The bottom runs of the conveyor sidechains extend forwardly from the drive sprockets and pass around anadjustable transverse guide roll 35 mounted on a slide 36 in turnslidably mounted in a suitable guideway on the lower portion of therearward head frame portion. The bottom runs of the conveyor side chainsextend forwardlyand sharply downwardly from the roll 35 to a transverseguide roll 37 journaled on depending brackets 38 secured to the sides ofan adjustable outer head frame portion 39, and the conveyor side chainsextend upwardly and forwardly to a transverse guide roll 40 journaled'on the brackets 38 and located close to the bottom of the head framejust rearwardly of a rotary toothed rum, generally designated 41, nearthe bottom of the latter. This rotary drum has orbitally moving teethsimilar to the bits 15, arranged in spaced vertical orbits and this drumis arranged transversely of the outer end portion of the head frame. Theside brackets 38 provide rearwardly and downwardly inclined guides 42for the side chains of the bottom run of the conveyor intermediate theguide rolls 37 and 40, as shown in Figs. l

- and 3. The slide 36 is adjustable by screws 4-3 and screws 44 passthrough longitudinal slots 45 at the opposite sides of the slide 36 andthese latter screws when tightened rmly clamp the slide in adjustedposition on the head frame. When the disintegrating head mechanism islowered, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the bottom run portion 30abof the conveyor which extends between the guide rolls 37 and 40 isdisposed in substantial parallelism with the mine floor and engages anyloose coal or other mineral piled up on the floor and moves the sameforwardly toward the rotary drum, and the latter in turn engages suchloose coal and moves the same upwardly and rearwardly onto the top runof the conveyor. Thus, the conveyor of the head mechanism not only movesthe disintegrated mineral discharged from the rotary drum 41 and theside chains 12 rearwardly of the head mechanism but also serves to movethe loose mineral on the mine oor into such position as to be engaged bythe rotary drum 41, thus, affording a supplemental floor cleanup device.

Extending transversely between the vertical side bar portions of theadjustable head frame portion 39 and rigidly secured thereto is adeflector or grizzly bar 47. This cross bar is arranged near the bottomof the forward portion of the head frame just rearwardly of the lowerrearward portion of the rotary drum 41 and has a series of forwardlyprojecting parallel vertical teeth 48 of comblike formation. Thistransverse row of teeth projects forwardly between the bits or teeth ofthe rotary drum and serves to deect the larger pieces of disintegratedmineral from the drum and to direct the same toward the conveyor. Thiscross deector bar also has a rearwardly facing curved surface 49 (Fig.3) which lies close to the forward portion of the conveyor as the latterpasses around the front guide roll 40 and serves to strip any loosemineral from the bottom run of the conveyor during the oor clean-upoperation.

The disintegrating head mechanism of the present invention is sumpedinto the coal or other mineral of a solid mine vein at the floor leveland upon completion of the sumping operation is swung upwardly invertical planes until its outer tip end reaches the roof level and nallythe head mechanism is retracted from the working face to complete thecut, all in the manner fully disclosed in the copending Russell andSibley applicationsQSerial Nos. 102,995 and 102,996 above referred to.During the dislodging and disintegrating operation the disintegratingbits of the side chains and the teeth of the rotary drum tear out themineral from the solid mine vein and move the disintegrated mineral ontothe conveyor 30 of the head mechanism which in turn moves thedisintegrated mineral rearwardly of the head mechanism to a convenientpoint of discharge rearwardly of the head pivot, and during thedislodging and disintegrating operation some of the loose coal or othermineral falls to the mine floor. When the head mechanism is swungdownwardly toward its lower position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig.1, the lower run portion 30ab of the head conveyor engages the loosemineral and moves the same forwardly into the zone of action of theteeth of the rotary drum and the drum teeth elevate the mineral en gagedthereby and discharge the same rearwardly onto the top run of theconveyor. Thus when the head mechanism is moved towards its loweredposition the mine floor is effectively cleaned up.

As a result of this invention an improved oor cleanup mechanism isassociated with the disintegrating head mechanism of a continuous minerwhereby the loose material which falls to the mine floor during thedisintegrating operation may be effectively cleaned up. By associatingthe floor clean-up mechanism with the disintegrating head mechanism, thebottom run of the head conveyor may be employed to move the loosematerial on the oor into the zone of action of the orbitally mov ingdisintegrating elements of the head mechanism whereby the latter mayelevate the loose material and discharge the same rearwardly onto thetop run of the head conveyor. These and other uses and advantages of theinvention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a support, a disintegrating head mechanism pivotallymounted on said support to swing in vertical planes for dislodgingmineral from a solid mine vein, said head mechanism includingdisintegrating elements moving in vertical orbits at the outer portionthereof, and conveying means swingable with said head mechanism andcomprising a conveyor of the endless type having its forward portiondisposed in close adjacency to the orbits of said disintegratingelements and with its bottom run spaced above the oor and movingforwardly at the lower portion of said head mechanism for moving, whensaid head mechanism is lowered about its pivot to the oor, the loosemineral on the mine floor forwardly beneath said conveyor in the spacebetween the bottom run of the latter and the floor directly into thepaths of movement of said orbitally movable disintegrating elements, thebottom run of said conveyor having its eiective mineral moving portionspaced outwardly from said head mechanism beneath the latter with saideffective portion disposed a substantial distance below the orbits ofsaid disintegrating elements.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the Y forward portionof said conveyor is spaced rearwardly of said orbitally movingdisintegrating elements outside of the orbits thereof and is disposedtransversely on said head mechanism in a transverse zone intermediatethe lateral limits of the zone of action of said disintegratingelements.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disintegratingelements are carried by a rotary drum .journaled at the outer portion ofsaid head mechanism with its axis disposed in parallelism with thepivotal axis of said head mechanism, said bottom run of said conveyormoving forwardly along a path disposed at a substantial angle withrespect to a plane in which the pivotal axes of said head mechanism andsaid drum lie, said bottom run of said conveyor, when said headmechanism is lowered as aforesaid, being inclined upwardly and forwardlywith respect to said plane.

4. In combination, a support, a disintegrating head mechanism pivotallymounted on said support to swing in vertical planes for dislodgingmineral from a solid mine vein, said head mechanism includingdisintegrating elements moving in vertical orbits at the outer portionthereof, and conveying means swingable with said head mechanisrn andcomprising a conveyor of the endless type having its forward portiondisposed in close adjacency to the orbits of said disintegratingelements and with its bottom run moving forwardly at the lower portionof said head mechanism for moving, when said head mechanism is loweredabout its pivot to the floor, the loose mineral 0n the mine Hoorforwardly directly into the paths of movement of said orbitally movabledisintegrating elements, said bottom run of said conveyor, when saidhead mechanism is lowered as aforesaid, being disposed substantiallyparallel with but spaced vertically from the oor.

5. A combination as setorth in claim 1 wherein said disintegratingelements discharge the dislodged mineral at the tops of their orbitsrearwardly onto the top run of said conveying means and said conveyor ofsaid conveying means has its top run moving rearwardly for conveying theloose mineral discharged from said disintegrating elements away from theface of the mine vein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,167B'odley Sept. 20, 1898 1,332,292 Gregg Mar. 2, 1920 1,811,927 HalleckJune 30, 1931 1,903,673 Hange Apr. 11, 1933 2,415,217 Osgood Feb. 4,1947 2,422,645 Moore lune 17, 1947 2,564,038 Stephenson Aug. 14, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 478,650 Germany July 1, 1929

